Pixel issues and reboot concerns hamper DS launch

Shock NOA reactions inside

Following the launch of the Nintendo DS in America, several issues have slowly but surely arisen, both concerning integral functionality aspects of the console.

The system forcing gamers to reboot after changing settings has been perhaps one of the most alarming news snippets, with a GAF user stating, “…anything you do basically triggers a reboot. The concept of having to reboot a gaming console even once after a setting has been changed is something I feel uneasy with... Turn the system on for the first time... set something... then it needs to reboot. Start the DS, go in the Settings menu and once you have set what you wanted to set... your only option is to quit out of it which means that the machine will shut down and you will have to power it back on (which is equal to rebooting the unit). Enter Picto-chat. Do you want to quit and get back to the system menu ? Reboot the DS. It feels like every single entry in the basic Menu when you boot the DS is a full application which takes control of the DS and does not allow the system to go back to the standard root menu.”

Due to our lowly status as European game journalists, SPOnG receives its DS units tomorrow at a special presentation in London held by NOE. We’ll check out the score then.

In perhaps more alarming news, "dead pixel" faults have been reported. For the unaware, you know when you have anything with a LCD screen and one little dot never changes? That’s a dead pixel. Nintendo America has acknowledged the issue and has released the following statement:

"With a small number of Nintendo DS screens, one or two dots on the screen may appear to be "stuck" on a particular color, such as white or red. This effect is caused when a particular pixel (the dots that make up the screen) is not working properly, even with the high quality standards set by LCD manufacturers. You will find this situation is common in many LCD devices, (PC monitors, televisions, cell phones, etc.) It's important to understand that this issue will remain limited to the pixels you have already noticed. The problem will not get any worse and you should not expect to see the problem in any other areas of the screen. We suggest that you use your system for a few weeks to determine whether this interferes with your enjoyment of game play. If, after using your system for awhile, you feel that this tiny dot is too distracting, the Nintendo DS does carry a one-year warranty. We are happy to inspect and, if necessary, fix your system at no charge within the warranty period."

Which is quite staggering. It might as well read, “So, we sold you suckers a slightly broken new games console and you have the cheek to complain? What is wrong with you? Well, if you are such a baby that your broken screen is making you cry we’ll do some kind of mysterious restoration work which sounds like we’ll take your DS away for ages.”

Amazing and perhaps the worst launch PR SPOnG has ever seen from an American arm of a games company.

Comments

On a lighter note, do you have a DS? Have you found it to be enjoyable to play? What are the games like? We Europeans still have ages to wait for the DS to arrive in the shops and are impatient for news and views, please tell us what you think.

okay, as soon as i saw that phrase 'on a lighter note', my eyes gravitated towards it and i didn't read the rest of what you wrote, because, honestly, it's like an oasis in the sahara.

i'm currently planning to get my DS this christmas, but i HAVE played with the unit itself extensively through friends and store booths. it's approximately double the size of the SP, as you may have already known by looking at the screenshots on the web. but one thing that i am really excited about is the the DS is perfect for SNES remakes. sure, the gba is adequate for SNES remakes hardware wise, but the DS presents a layout is nearly identical to the SNES controller, which means remakes for the DS would be more faithful than past SNES remakes for gba.

the DS is by far the best combination of innovation paired with risk (try to forget about the virtual boy for just a minute. :) it's touch-sensitive screen opens up the floodgates for a whole universe of new games previously impossible with the current generation of gaming devices. another thing that i am excited about is that the DS is by far the most FPS-friendly platform, taking into account all the handhelds AND consoles ever released .. i can't wait for the full version of MP:hunters, because the control scheme featured in the demo is a nearly flawless emulation of the WASD-mouse configuration that most FPSes were designed for. so PSP, watch out.

i'm still withholding any opinions i have about PSP because i don't want to publish any opinions without any factual backing, but i find the immensely LOW price point and miniscule battery life quite troubling. and the analog stick would be far more useful if it were stationed in the right hand side of the handheld instead of the left, if you ask me.

Autobot26 Nov 2004 22:10

69/87

OK this is my final response to this Thread.

GROW UP!!!! If any of you are involved in that vote, you all are F**KING IDIOTS!!

One for making the vote Two for Voting.

Stop the insanity people. This thread was supposed to offer opinions on the DS Malfunctions.

People are allowed to offer there opinions without getting attacked that the nature of these forums. If I was a moderator in this thread I would soo have either shut down the thread by now or erased anyone being attackful.

Opinions are something that we all have the right to express and a few bullies should not ruin it for everyone.

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btnheazy0326 Nov 2004 22:12

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and DrDee:

you obviously are associated with, if not, part of the team that maintains spong in one way or another, so your coming to its defense is perfectly understandable.

but please, try to debate like tyrion: present your ideas clearly, enumerate your ideas, and construct your sentences in a way which would convey your thoughts in the most efficient manner. your gratuitious name-calling is laughably juvenile, and shows everyone that you DON'T have a point to prove, other than flaming people for disliking the opinions published by that spong writer. for all we know you and that writer are one and the same. are you?

i know, my posts in the first half of this thread were kind of silly and illogical, but that's only because i let my emotions take over reason. i've subsequently changed that, and suggest you do the same, unless you want to make yourself look stupider, if such a word existed.

ozfunghi wrote:

Wow, you're actually on the spong team? I sure hope you guys do this for fun and don't get any money out of this site because that has to be the most unprofessional attitude i've come across since i started visiting news sites a long LONG time ago. Makes me feel that way about you actually. I mean, it's kind of juvenile. But hey, whatever rocks your boat.

wrecktify wrote:

You got to be kidding me right? Wow, if the one little pixel story sounds like a big launch problem to you guys then im sorry to say that youre insane.

btnheazy0326 Nov 2004 22:20

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Autobot wrote:

OK this is my final response to this Thread.

GROW UP!!!! If any of you are involved in that vote, you all are F**KING IDIOTS!!

One for making the vote Two for Voting.

Stop the insanity people. This thread was supposed to offer opinions on the DS Malfunctions.

People are allowed to offer there opinions without getting attacked that the nature of these forums. If I was a moderator in this thread I would soo have either shut down the thread by now or erased anyone being attackful.

Opinions are something that we all have the right to express and a few bullies should not ruin it for everyone.

i agree wholly with you, autobot, but you have to realize that there WILL be people who WILL disagree with you, and then proceed to flame on you until you go away ... unless, of course, you fight back. and i say, let them vote. "i don't give a rat's ass", remember?

i mean, "good journalism is biased"? who's the real idiot?

LUPOS wrote:

this next section was written before i saw your next response about it, it did seem to me liek you are ok with biased journalism which i am not. understanding that a problem exists and just excepting it are two different things. Seeing as you have a degree in it i woudl hoep you woudl attempt to be unbiased in any reporting you do and attempt to be passionate about being truthfull and not about your own agenda. if your not part of the solution your part of the probalem, yadda yadda.

as a side note to ROD, after reading all your political converstaion the other day i am amazed you woudl say that good journalist are biased, the best journalaist are indeed pasionate but they are pasionate about letting th people know the truth, not about advancing there own agenda.

some degree YOU have. or maybe a degree from some quack?

Rod Todd27 Nov 2004 06:32

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btnheazy03 wrote:

GROW UP!!!! If any of you are involved in that vote, you all are F**KING IDIOTS!!

That's really funny. I called you a f**kingidiot. You call us f**king idiots. You are not even original in your insults.

Stop the insanity people. This thread was supposed to offer opinions on the DS Malfunctions.

It DID offer opinions. But whenever someones opinion did not agree wih tyour own, you insulted them. You supported your position with illogical and occasionally ridiculous tatement. When people questioned you you ignored their questions to continue the tirade.

Opinions are something that we all have the right to express and a few bullies should not ruin it for everyone.

But YOU were the bully, attacking, shouting down and insulting anyone who did not agree with you.Your FIRST posting in this thread contained the following comments:

this is absolute bs... i think this reporter should grow up like the one who did that jfk report. he sounds like some bitter 12 year old who has a dead pixel in his DS. MOMMMMYYYY!!!!!

Many people disagreed with you, but you just ignored their points, and kept ranting.

And like most bullies, you don't like it when instead of sitting and taking it, someone fights back.

i mean, "good journalism is biased"? who's the real idiot?

Well, if we are to believe in the democracy you prize so highly, but understand so little, it seems you are.

And I think you are. I NEVER said good journalism is biased. I said all journalism is biased. And that does not stop some journalism being good or great.

some degree YOU have. or maybe a degree from some quack?

Quack is a colloquialism for a poor or fake doctor. It has no meaning or relevance in that sentence. But my degree is from a well respected university in the United States. And it was only my first degree, I subsequently took and MBA.

btnheazy0327 Nov 2004 09:36

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why? why must you continue to make a mockery of yourself? it was not i who said those words, but by our fellow forum-goer 'autobot'. how can someone who allegedly has a 'degree in journalism' and an 'MBA' not read english properly?

and for the record, let us examine this "degree" of yours so i may silence your incessant rambling of it: it doesn't matter wether you have a degree in journalism, or animal husbandry, or asshole surgery, or whatever: ultimately, it all boils down to your personal performance, and based on what i've seen of you so far, you might as well hang a blank piece of paper and frame it, because your 'journalism skills' have yet to be found, and for all we know you could be making all this up! i mean, would someone with a REAL MBA spend this much time on, of all the places, a video game site's forum ARGUING with other people? NO! and if you even DO have a "degree" or an MBA, you are doing a disservice to whoever supplied you with your "degree" by being a joke.

and tell me, where exactly did you procure your "degree in journalism"? please do, so i may stray away from it, if it supplies people with "degrees" so easily and without proper filtering. and to end this post, i shall quote a portion of LUPOS' lengthy but meaningful post (just in case you skipped over it, like you do most of the time):

LUPOS wrote:

it did seem to me liek you are ok with biased journalism which i am not. understanding that a problem exists and just excepting it are two different things. Seeing as you have a degree in it i woudl hoep you woudl attempt to be unbiased in any reporting you do and attempt to be passionate about being truthfull and not about your own agenda. if your not part of the solution your part of the probalem, yadda yadda.

as a side note to ROD, after reading all your political converstaion the other day i am amazed you woudl say that good journalist are biased, the best journalaist are indeed pasionate but they are pasionate about letting th people know the truth, not about advancing there own agenda.

end quote. Todd.

PS.'quack' is not confined to the world of "poor or fake doctors" anymore. i've seen people use it several times in the past to describe someone or something generally poor in quality, mister-MBA-journalism-degree-holder-whatever.

Rod Todd27 Nov 2004 12:55

74/87

btnheazy03 wrote:

why? why must you continue to make a mockery of yourself?

Hey, I f**ked up. S**t happens. Learn to deal.

But I'm pretty sure, that slip aside, you'll find I'm making a mockery of you.

i mean, would someone with a REAL MBA spend this much time on, of all the places, a video game site's forum ARGUING with other people?

Well, let me see, there are at least two other people in this thread with post-graduate degrees to my knowledge. So I'd have to say. Yes, yes they would.

Let's face it, it's more fun than real work, and I get paid while I'm doing it. I mean, I came here to talk about video games, but I'm happy to make faces at the monkeys while I'm at it.

and tell me, where exactly did you procure your "degree in journalism"?

Not a chance dude. I use a false name on line, I give false details on line. I'm not revealing anything that can be used to trace me in the real world. I piss off too many idiots, and mainly right-wing gun-loving idiots.

btnheazy0327 Nov 2004 13:57

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Rod Todd wrote:

Hey, I f**ked up. S**t happens. Learn to deal.

yep. i can clearly see that your alleged MBA is in action. bravo.

But I'm pretty sure, that slip aside, you'll find I'm making a mockery of you.

ohhhh, please do. so far you've done nothing but flame on people, call them names, and suggest outrageous claims about journalism that were subsequently shot down by several other people.

Well, let me see, there are at least two other people in this thread with post-graduate degrees to my knowledge. So I'd have to say. Yes, yes they would.

hmm. you went through years of studying (*snicker*) ... and working hard (*pfftt ..ahahahAHAH!!!*) for your diplomas, only to end up propagating biased articles for a rumourmill .. mum must be soOOO proud of her kiddies.

Not a chance dude. I use a false name on line, I give false details on line. I'm not revealing anything that can be used to trace me in the real world.

ahhh, god bless the internet in all it's anonymous f**ked-upnes. oh, and that line reminded me of slashdot.org .. you anonymous coward

DoctorDee27 Nov 2004 17:55

76/87

OK. btnheazy03, Todd - ENOUGH!

One more post from either of you in this thread, and your account gets deleted.

You are both dicks.

btnheazy0327 Nov 2004 20:39

77/87

agreed. i was getting tired of mr. MBA over there anyways. good show, spong. good show.

Ditto28 Nov 2004 11:51

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Rod Todd wrote:

Well, let me see, there are at least two other people in this thread with post-graduate degrees to my knowledge.

Awww. I don't have any kind of degree yet. I feel left out. :p.

Has anyone noticed that Nintendo now provide longer warrenties? They used to provide 12 months for games and now it's 24.

SilverDogg29 Nov 2004 10:25

79/87

sorry for not reading everything. too much to read -_-.

anyway, the person writing this article was probarbly 5 years old and had some help from his mother to write it. i cant come up with any other explanation..

i dont understand all that bitching about nothing. sure you have to reboot, but are you gonna change alot of stuff ALL the time? do you have to make all these settings everytime you start the ds? nah, didnt think so. and like others said, the dead pixle problem isnt really a dead pixle problem. if you find one, BANG, return it to the store and get a new one. was that so hard? no, didnt think so. geez, you make my bitching look like nothing with this bullshit. im very eager to see what you are gonna write about the psp when that comes out. probarbly nothing bad, because sony only do good things right?

DoctorDee29 Nov 2004 11:38

80/87

SilverDogg wrote:

sorry for not reading everything. too much to read -_-.

Ah, most of it was just two idiot banging heads.

anyway, the person writing this article was probarbly 5 years old and had some help from his mother to write it. i cant come up with any other explanation..

That speaks more of your paucity of imagination than anything. The writer is a 25 year old long-time Nintendo fan.

i dont understand all that bitching about nothing. sure you have to reboot, but are you gonna change alot of stuff ALL the time?

You make a fair point. People are not necessarilty going to change things all that much, but having to re-boot a console is still a fairly unusual expireince. But the main "complaint" was that Nintendo seem to be taking a quite unusal approach to replacing machines with a dead or stuck pixel.

you make my bitching look like nothing with this bullshit.

What bitching exactly are you talking about?

im very eager to see what you are gonna write about the psp when that comes out. probarbly nothing bad, because sony only do good things right?

Well, you said that. We never did. We'll criticise anyone if we feel there's a point to answer... And hey, it's only our opinion, not the word of god. If you don't agree, no one is forcing you... and you can always make your point here in the forums.

SilverDogg29 Nov 2004 13:02

81/87

That speaks more of your paucity of imagination than anything. The writer is a 25 year old long-time Nintendo fan.

then how come he writes all this stupid things? its a 5 minute period the first time you start the machine pretty much, then you are done.

You make a fair point. People are not necessarilty going to change things all that much, but having to re-boot a console is still a fairly unusual expireince. But the main "complaint" was that Nintendo seem to be taking a quite unusal approach to replacing machines with a dead or stuck pixel.

it might be unusual, but pretty much everyone is already used to it with windows. and like i said, its 5 minutes then you are done. and i dont think thats a unusual approach. they say they will change the ds for you. whats wrong with that?

What bitching exactly are you talking about?

nothing here, just my regular bitching abour everything ;).

Well, you said that. We never did. We'll criticise anyone if we feel there's a point to answer... And hey, it's only our opinion, not the word of god. If you don't agree, no one is forcing you... and you can always make your point here in the forums.

thats true, but from what i have noticed before on several pages is that they like to complain about whatever nintendo do, but if sony do the same thing they go WOW! i dont know if spong has done this before, im not here all that very much. if not, i apologize.

DoctorDee29 Nov 2004 13:10

82/87

then how come he writes all this stupid things?

That's a matter of perspective. Just because you don't agree with something doesn't necessarily make it stupid.

it might be unusual, but pretty much everyone is already used to it with windows.

Ah! There you go, we're Linux and MacOS users, and we're NOT used to it at all!

thats true, but from what i have noticed before on several pages is that they like to complain about whatever nintendo do,

Again. I think it's a matter of perspective, Whatever we say, someone thinks we're beating on their favourite platform. Of course, it's understandable that when someone has invested a lot of money on something, they would like everyone to be nice about that thing, as a sort of positive reinforcement for their ego. Thing is, we praise 'em all, and we criticise 'em all.

If people get very upset, it might be best if they go to a single format web site that only praises their chosen platform, and only criticises other platforms.

We prefer to try and stay objective... but we're only human. SPOnG staff pretty much every platform though, and there's no real favouritism...

SilverDogg29 Nov 2004 13:32

83/87

Ah! There you go, we're Linux and MacOS users, and we're NOT used to it at all!

are you telling me you have never had windows? and that you never needed to reboot your pda or anything like that?

Again. I think it's a matter of perspective, Whatever we say, someone thinks we're beating on their favourite platform. Of course, it's understandable that when someone has invested a lot of money on something, they would like everyone to be nice about that thing, as a sort of positive reinforcement for their ego. Thing is, we praise 'em all, and we criticise 'em all.

i check news on both single format sites and multi sites as well. while the single web sites do write bad things too, they often write more understandable things. multisites often jump on nintendo mostly. they dont give out info about a game and thats bad or they did this wrong in that and so on. i see almost nothing like that about sony. maybe you have had more critics agains sony that i havent seen. i dont know. i just think that when alot of critic against nintendo comes up its pretty much nothin blown up to hell big. and thats what i think is pretty s**tty.

tyrion29 Nov 2004 18:34

84/87

SilverDogg wrote:

and that you never needed to reboot your pda or anything like that?

No. I have Linux on my PDA and don't need to reboot it often. Certainly not after changing some settings or installing software!

Ditto29 Nov 2004 20:35

85/87

Don't try and argue with the Doctor *mock shock*. He'll wear you down every time ;).

Silverwolf31 Mar 2009 20:18

86/87

I have to agree. This is a load of bull. Every system is going to have something wrong with it at some point. But they are doing something about it. And again I agree he sounds like a spoiled brat who's never had to work for a thing in his life.

Silverwolf31 Mar 2009 20:47

87/87

DoctorDee:"Do you actively try and make yourself sound stupid, or is it something you just can't help? Pubic hair exists on and around the pubis. I am sure you will one day discover this."

Obviously you're no doctor or you would know that this does indeed exist. And it's pelvis not pubis. Mainly women get anal hair but men can get it too. Really you're only making yourself look stupid.

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